Every week, North Star will take some time out of our schedules to bring you our favorite reads from the past week.

Jeff Van Wychen

Merkel’s Mettle

The current world leader that I admire above all others is German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel has risked her political career by welcoming one million Syrian refugees to her homeland, courageously standing up for these oppressed people in the face of rising tide of Western Islamophobia. Margot Patterson argues that,

“Germany has become the indispensable country and Merkel the indispensable leader not just because of the country’s economic might but because of the moral leadership she has shown.”

Stephanie Fenner

Minnesotans’ Incomes Bouncing Back, Census Data Show

Minnesotans got some good news this week, as Census data show that Minnesotans’ incomes are finally showing signs of recovering from the Great Recession. MPR writes,

Median income for all Minnesotans increased by about $2,000 between 2014 and 2015, when it rose to an estimated $63,488. The state median household income for 2015 is almost 14 percent higher than the national rate.

However, racial disparities continue to exist in Minnesota. For example, while black household income bounced back, the median household income for whites is around $67,000, median household income for black Minnesotans is less than half that.